Old Mission Santa Barbara
Last week when I was in Santa Barbara for the Alaska Media Road Show, I had about two hours to myself before my departure back to Seattle. Early that morning, I decided to call the concierge and arrange for a quick tour of this seaside town.
I wanted to get a feel for Santa Barbara and needed to do it quickly. Within minutes, the concierge had arranged for Dee Tours to come pick me up and show me around. I often take the guided tours whenever I am in a new city. I’ve done this with my children in London and Washington, DC and have found it to be a very effective way to get grounded quickly. This tour in Santa Barbara was equally effective.
I was picked up at the hotel and my guide immediately started giving me the inside scoop of this town, which is known as the American Riviera. The weather wasn’t particularly clear and beautiful so I didn’t get great photos, but I did get a good understanding of the town’s history and it’s current trends. We stopped by the El Presidio de Santa Barbara and the Old Mission Santa Barbara. I was so very short on time that I couldn’t take a tour, but I did snap some photos of the beautiful historic mission.
I also stopped at the Visitor Center where I was hooked up with information on many of the sites and scenic tours in the area. Here’s a quick list of links to help you if you want to plan a quick day trip to Santa Barbara this winter. When I specifically asked about campgrounds in the area, they told me that camping wasn’t allowed in Santa Barbara but they suggested Carpinteria State Beach. They also handed me a typed list entitled, “Camping in Santa Barbara.” Other options listed there include, Refugio State Beach (23 miles north) and El Capitan State Beach (20 miles north.)
El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park
Photo by Melissa A. Trainer
–Melissa A. Trainer